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Creamy Avocado Pesto Pasta (healthy, high fiber)

May 23, 2012

As you know I attended a Luncheon with Chef Ivy Stark at Dos Caminos this past weekend. And incase you didn’t know, my goody bag consisted of 5 avocados, plus my husband received a goody bag too, so we are talking a total of TEN AVOCADOS! YIKES!

Besides making a batch of amazing Guacamole and Avocado Fries which turned out to be a disaster, I also made Creamy Avocado Pesto Pasta. It was quite amazing, and healthy, too.

Unfortunately, I can’t take credit for this delectable recipe that I found on one of the best vegan blogs out there, Angela of Oh She Glows.

What I love about this dish is the pesto sauce incorporates avocado instead of the Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO). Although both avocados and EVOO are healthy fats, it’s a nice variant to use avocados for a change which results in a creamier, thicker sauce without any of the avocado flavor.

I went ahead and doubled Angela’s recipe, however I halved the amount of EVOO used in the recipe. In addition, I added some crushed red pepper for that extra kick I need.

My mom, sister, and brother-in-law stopped by so I had a few family members to critique the recipe, in addition to my hubby, of course. Unsurprisingly though, my mom didn’t like this dish, but she’s also an extremely picky eater. My husband, sister, and brother-in-law enjoyed my pasta though.

Last point, the key to making this dish is serving it ASAP, else the oxidation process on the avocado pesto sauce begins almost immediately despite adding lemon juice to the sauce. Also, I don’t think this pasta dish tastes that great in the event you do have leftovers, so plan on inviting a few people over and share the love.

NUTRITION: Avocados are rich in Antioxidants and are a good source of Fiber, Folic Acid, and Vitamins B6, C, E and K. In addition, they help lower cholesterol and contain anti-cancerous properties. Whole Grain pasta is a great source of Protein and Fiber. Basil is an excellent source of Vitamin K and a very good source of Iron, Calcium, and Vitamin A. Although high in fat, cheese is a good source of Calcium and Protein.

Process all the ingredients until you get a smooth and creamy consistency, get the sides as well.

Like this.

Drain the pasta and reserve some of the starchy pasta water. Add the avocado pesto to the pasta.

Toss well, and add the starchy pasta water, about ¼ cup or a little more to thin out the sauce to your liking.

Optional, top with some parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

3.5.3226

STEP BY STEP:1. Star by boiling a pot of water on high heat.
2. While the water boils, get your ingredients out… garlic, lemon juice, and zest of a lemon.
3. Add the 3 ingredients to the food processor and pulse until everything is blended and chopped.

4. Once the water boils, follow the directions on the back of the box and cook until al dente.
5. In the meantime, slice an avocado, remove the pit, and add it to the food processor. Grab a handful of basil as well.
6. Add the basil, avocado, extra virgin olive oil, salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper.
7. Process all the ingredients until you get a smooth and creamy consistency, get the sides as well.
8. Like this.
9. Drain the pasta and reserve some of the starchy pasta water. Add the avocado pesto to the pasta.
10. Toss well, and add the starchy pasta water, about 1/4 cup or a little more to thin out the sauce to your liking.
11. Optional, top with some parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

TELL ME: What are some creative ways you add avocado to your cooking, besides making guacamole?

Reader Interactions

Comments

I've made this exact thing a while back and I'm with you on the deliciousness…I called it "pestocado" haha! I much prefer this creamy alternative to EVOO pesto! This sauce also tastes fabulous on shrimp so give it a shot- especially as you are well-stocked on the avocado front!

Have you tried chocolate avocado mousse yet? It's on my 'to make' list but I've read great reviews about it! Another use of avocados which you may want to try, especially as the weather is warming up, is in smoothies. Apparently it's a great alternative to bananas in making smoothies extra creamy.

@Khushboo – love your name – "pestocado." Haha, yeah shrimp is a good idea, I bet chicken would be amazing too. Too bad it oxidizes so fast. OMG, I heard about chocolate avocado mousse, I'll have to try it, everyone says it is amazing. Yup, smoothies are another good one. I seriously need to use them as a face mask.

Ha- you said yikes at the 10 avocados! I am sure that with your creative mind you will put all ten to a delicious use. You have started out with a winner, I know that by this time the dish is already gone. So the next time you create an avocado dish, enjoy some of it for me since I am not there! Deliciously done pasta!

I love avocados, this looks wonderful.I wanted to let you know that I have nominated you for an award. It is the Food Stories Award for Excellence in Storytelling. Check it out at (http://foodstoriesblog.com/food-stories-award/). Feel free to decline if you don't want to join in. Thanks, Dawn

@Tina – you are so sweet. Thank you… my creative mind made 3 dishes and used up 6 avocados, I gave the remaining 4 to my mom and sister so they could experience the difference with California Avocados. Not so creative after all. 😉

WOW! This looks great and simply delicious. I havent tried that yet but I am sure it's gonna come out pretty good since I make veg. pasta at home already. On a different note your blog/site looks awesome. You got some great vegetarian recipes here. Keep up the good work!!! 🙂

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A foodie passionate about living a healthy lifestyle, cooking, reviewing restaurants, traveling, and exploring various facets of New York City where I can enjoy a variety of cuisines and learn about different cultures. Come join me on a soul searching journey and I'll tell YOU "what's cooking" through my love for food, fashion, travel and New York City!